Highly qualified Mason Engineering undergraduates may pursue a master’s degree through an accelerated program, and begin taking graduate courses in their senior year.

If you are academically strong, currently enrolled in an undergraduate program in the Volgenau School of Engineering, and have an interest in research or graduate and professional studies, you may be approved to take six graduate credits that will apply to both the current undergraduate degree and future graduate degree program requirements through our Accelerated Master’s Program.

Decisions will not be given over the phone, by the department or by the Graduate Admissions office.

Deadlines

December 1, if you would like to begin taking graduate courses in the following Spring term

August 1, if you would like to begin taking graduate courses in the following Fall term

Notification and Registration

If your Accelerated Master's application is approved, you will be notified via e-mail. Be sure to check your e-mail regularly to ensure you receive a timely decision.

Approved students will then be able to register for graduate courses via Mason's Patriot Web system. Participants who were previously listed under Junior or Senior status in Patriot Web, will now be listed as ‘Senior Plus' after they have reached 90 credits.

Please note that approval of specific courses on the application does not guarantee that a specific course section will be open or offered at the time of registration.

Approval for the Accelerated Master's program only guarantees admission to a degree program at a later date if the student maintains the required GPA outlined in the University Catalog, and follows all of the policy requirements listed below.

Academic Policies

Students admitted to this program are required to complete a minimum of three graduate credits for advanced standing while in the program, otherwise they will not be able to transition and will be required to apply as a non-Accelerated Master's student.

The courses taken must be the ones approved on your application or listed in the appropriate University Catalog section related to Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Programs.

You must show satisfactory performance in the approved graduate courses taken while in undergraduate status.

You must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.25, or as otherwise indicated by the University Catalog section related to your program.

Transitioning to your Master's Program

When you apply to graduate from your Bachelor's Degree, you must also complete and submit the Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Transition Form. On this form, you will idenfity your advanced standing and reserve graduate credit hours, and receive approval from your undergraduate and graduate advisors.

Your tuition and domicile status may not be automatically carried over to your Master's program - if you wish to apply for in-state tuition, please download and complete a new Application for In-State Tuition, and submit it along with your BS-MS Transition form.

Once the form is complete and approved, please deliver it to the Nguyen Engineering Building, Suite 2400. After your form is reviewed and signed by the Associate Dean, it will be forwarded to the Office of Graduate Admissions for final signature.

If you meet all of the requirements, you will receive an updated admissions letter for your Master's program.

If you are admitted as a regular graduate student, after submission of your BS-MS Transition form, you will be given advanced standing - meaning that your graduate credits have been earned and will later be applied.

Courses taken within the Accelerated Master's program will appear on a separate portion of your transcript, under "Advanced Standing."

After transition, regardless of advanced standing, you will be treated as any other graduate student. You will be assessed graduate tuition and will be subject to all graduate academic policies as detailed in the University Catalog.